Cranswick commits US$50 million to raise animal welfare standards after abuse allegations
The investment follows an independent review prompted by undercover footage alleging neglect at one of the company’s pig farms.
UK – Cranswick has announced plans to spend about US$50 million (GBP 40 million) over the next three years to improve animal welfare and harmonize its pig farming operations.
The move comes in response to a veterinarian-led review initiated after the release of disturbing footage from animal rights group Animal Justice Project earlier this year.
The video, filmed at Cranswick’s Northmoor Farm, reportedly exposed what was described as a “culture of abuse and neglect,” showing pigs in poor conditions and suffering mistreatment behind closed doors.
Following the revelations, Cranswick’s board commissioned an independent investigation by Dr. Andy Butterworth, a veterinarian with more than 30 years of experience in farm welfare.
Dr. Butterworth carried out unannounced inspections across 20 pig farms between June and August to evaluate compliance with legal, industry, and retailer standards.
According to his report, the farms visited met the required animal welfare regulations, with no evidence found of mistreatment similar to what was captured in the earlier footage.
However, the review also highlighted multiple areas for improvement and made 44 specific recommendations aimed at raising welfare standards across Cranswick’s operations.
Dr. Butterworth stated that while he did not witness the same behavior reported in May, there remained “much that can be done” to improve conditions for pigs, both within the company and across the wider industry.
Cranswick said it had accepted all findings and developed a six-point plan based on the recommendations, focusing on long-term improvements to welfare practices.
Six-point plan for improvement
The company’s plan involves standardizing farming procedures across all its pig sites and expanding the use of surveillance technology to ensure compliance with welfare protocols.
It also seeks to strengthen the culture and working environment for farm staff, enhance monitoring of animal health, and partner with organizations such as Red Tractor and retail customers to develop higher welfare benchmarks.
A spokesperson for Cranswick said the company acted immediately after the footage surfaced, taking steps to identify and halt any abusive practices.
The spokesperson added that some corrective actions, including stopping the use of blunt-force trauma, had already been implemented before the independent review was completed.
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